The Grand Conspiracy: Powers shifting
by teddykazandjiev
Summary: This is a sequel to my one-shot The worthy one. I decided to make this one a new story since the genres and themes are different. If you feel lost, you can check The worthy one-it is short. Here we follow a number of champions who embark on an adventure in order to unravel secrets which should have remained buried. In the end nothing will be the same in Valoran for any faction.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1: Prologue

More than a year had passed since General Darius and Lady Fiora Laurent had escaped the mysterious place where they were sent in the middle of an ordinary battle on Summoner's Rift. They had fought many beasts there and eventually managed to return to the Institute of war. However, the event had raised many questions and Darius was determined to find out all he could. Things weren't as easy as they seemed, due to the fact that the summoners were choosing Darius quite often and he was forced to fight almost all day. What made matters worse were his tender feeling towards Fiora. During their stay in that nightmarish place they had confessed their love for one another.

Darius had always respected her strength, even though she was Demacian. She couldn't help but notice that this man acknowledged her skills and didn't care that she was a woman. It was only a matter of time for them to fall in love. And so they did in that terrible place. Just upon returning they shared a loving gaze, only to be seen by Darius' brother- Draven. Although he had an enormous ego and loved only himself, he did not betray his brother and understood his feelings. This did not matter, however, for soon things were back to normal. Darius won many matches for the summoners but he was forced to face Fiora. He tried his best to protect her but worried that Swain or one of the Black Rose members would notice him. He knew he had to stop the summoners and find out what happened that day, when in the midst of fighting everything turned dark and he and Fiora were sent to an unknown location, where it seemed the Institute had no power. Over the past twelve months he had been asking questions. First he decided to talk to the other eight champions who were in the match with him and Fiora. The answer was always the same: " There was an interference in the magic of the Institute. That match was nothing special and it ended with a draw. Why are you asking Darius?" They would always make such an excuse and even though The Hand of Noxus wanted to know more he just didn't bother asking anything else. Even if they knew something, they wouldn't tell him. But recently he had stumbled across a record of the events. Perhaps someone wanted him to find it. Darius seemed like a brute, but he had the cunning to lead his men, the wisdom not to take the power in Noxus and the intellect to see the bigger picture. And so he was able to find many clues concerning the events of that day. He also remembered that back then the godlike beings like Azir and Nasus were discussing " the growing power of the mages and the summoners and the ill intentions of some of the more powerful among them." Darius didn't pay attention back then. Back then he was concerned with the glory of Noxus. But now things had changed and so after one match he went to Nasus.

" Greetings Lord Nasus, may I speak with you", Darius asked.

" Come to brag about your victories and how powerful your nation is, mortal", the Ascended replied.

" Our victories and defeats are decided by the summoners and the old fools who created the League. I have something far more important to ask, if you will hear me out."

" Very well then, ask and I shall answer"

Darius nodded and began retelling the events of the dreadful day on which he and Fiora were trapped in that place. He also shared his discoveries with the godlike creature

" So the other eight beings claim that there was nothing extraordinary about the event and that it was just a minor issue", Nasus wondered.

" Yes, and they all spin the same tale, as if they were told to do so. Furthermore, they say that I and Fiora were not available to the summoners for just a few hours. But as I have told you, we were in that damn place for over a week." Darius explained

" This is most unusual. And you saw strange creatures in there. Enormous and powerful." Nasus asked.

" That they were but I felt powerful as well. There was no one controlling my movement, no one slowing my swings. I couldn't hear the summoner in my head. I moved like I used to when I was a young soldier.", Darius replied.

" It seems you were sent to a location out of the jurisdiction of the Institute of war. Here we are vastly hindered by the magic of the League but we cannot die. In that place it seems it was quite the opposite", Nasus said.

"Who could have done that to us and why? I have always served my nation, protected my brother and helped High General swain to power, because I believed him to be worthy. When I came here I aimed to join him and the other Noxians so that our power may increase. But now I have seen so much", Darius explained trying to stay calm.

" You are wise to see beyond your nation's borders. Some other champions are as foolish as when they first came here. And as to who might have done this. I have my suspicions. It could be a powerful mage or summoner, even one of the High Councilors or some of the shadowy organizations. The Black Rose might have done this and I suspect that your ruler, Swain, could have aided them. "

Darius would have decapitated anyone who spoke ill of Swain a few years ago, but he had seen so many things. He found out that Swain had cheated in his duel with Darkwill and that the Black Rose had aided him. He had also heard the rumors of a relationship between Swain and Leblanc but back then he thought that Swain was the man, who would bring Noxus to greatness and did not care

" I suppose all is possible. They could all be working together. I found suspicious records, shadow agents and so on. Perhaps even Demacia and Targon could have a finger in all of this. Your enemy Xerath could have used his magic to do that to us", Darius said.

" You have explained and proven much, mortal. I will try and find as much as possible. Share this information only with those individuals you trust. As for the Black Rose and Swain- you can contact the Du Couteau family. They have had a grudge against Swain for years", Nasus said and stood up ready to leave.

" I will heed your advice and I hope Katarina will listen to me. I am not as close to her as I was with her father" Darius said in a worried voice. He did not know what he would find. Would he be accused of treason by Jericho? Or would his brother be punished for his "crime".

" Mortal, much has changed and I think that the old grudges will be forgotten in the name of the greater good. For all we know, this may not be a scheme of your leader, but something else entirely. These interferences have ceased after all." Nasus explained calmly.

" But those summoners you were speaking about are still here. They were hungry for power then and still are" Darius replied.

" That is true. But I know this: if we find a way to keep the peace this place will have no further purpose. It was built so that the nations of Runeterra would settle their conflicts here. And if there are no grand conflicts we could unite and live in harmony."Nasus said as he was leaving.

" I can only hope" Darius said quietly.

He then proceeded to his quarters but was stopped by someone. A familiar voice greeted his ears.

" Darius what's been bothering you lately. Is it something about us." Fiora asked gently.

" Not being able to show our feeling has been bothering me, yes, but that is not why I am worried. I have found information about _that_ day. And I have spoken to several individuals who might help." Darius replied.

" Oh, you idiot, leave it in the past. I don't want to see you die. There are conspiracies even in Demacia. I hear of the exploits of certain agents of ours all the bloody time. Of how Lux Crownguard intercepted a vital message or how her brother Garen defeated a dozen men to defend the King. Loyal dogs those Crownguards. They never ask why are they doing the certain thing, only obey." Fiora was starting to raise her voice. She never had much respect for the Crownguards. She saw them as mindless servants to the crown. On a personal level, she was supposed to marry one of them- a cocky young man, who treated her as a mere tool. It was when she refused to become his bride that her father was forced to duel. However, he tried to cheat, which forced Fiora to fight and kill him. That deed has been plaguing her mind ever since. So much so that she avoided men entirely, for she considered them nothing more than mindless and arrogant creatures, who thought of women as nothing more than instruments. That was until she met Darius. A Noxian. An enemy. Yet he respected her and showed her love. A feeling she hadn't experienced since her father's death.

She was a noble and privileged. He was an orphan, who had gained power with skill and hard work. Yet their pain was so similar. Even their ideals were not that different, despite being raised in two very different societies, who had been at war almost all the time. Noxus ruled over most of the northern and eastern part of Valoran and was the largest empire at the moment. Demacia and Shurima shared borders with the mighty nation and although powerful, they could not match Noxus at the time. The three nations were at peace, however, their differences remained and they were simply trying to gain an advantage over the others and attack first. This was what Darius was suspecting but there was so much more cloaked in shadow. For now he was happy that he was with the woman he loved.

" Fiora, what happened to us then could be part of a conspiracy. It could be the work of your king, or my leader, or something else entirely. Whatever the case may be, I cannot let this come to pass. Even if this is the doing of Noxus, it is wrong and it does not unify the nation. That event an year ago, could have been orchestrated by some Noxian noble, trying to gain power and wealth in some unknown way. And I have told you how I love those kinds of people", Darius said.

Then they heard footsteps. The pair quickly ran behind a corner and saw Talon, one of the members of the Du Couteau family. He was worried and was searching for something. But what could it be…..


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2: The Du Couteau case

"Where the hell is she? This is not good. I have failed this family once again. Damn it. First her father and now her. The match she was in was declared a draw but she is nowhere to be found. All other champions have left. They don't know what happened. Goddamn lies" Talon cried furiously. Even though he was defeated by Katarina's father and forced into service, he had developed an enormous sense of respect towards both him and his daughters. Now she hadn't returned from a match and he was worried.

"Missing? Just like us an year ago. Remember Fiora?" Darius said. He was shocked but also hopeful. He would discover the truth behind his own disappearance and that of his lover, Fiora Laurent"

"Darius, I know that look. What the hell are you thinking. You can't just go and talk to him. And if he sees us together." Fiora exclaimed. She was apparently worried-something quite unusual for her.

" Katarina's father was my superior. A loyal and strong soldier. When he disappeared I was shocked but didn't bother investigating. Swain…he told me that that was a personal affair of the Du Couteau family. He spun a tale of how outside help would make them look weak and thus hinder Noxus as a whole. He explained that they must solve this problem on their own, so they could prove their strength." Darius was furious. "And I believed that nonsense. Just because I didn't like his children. Bah"

Darius had learned many secrets and seen many perspectives since he joined the League. Of course, he served Noxus and personally led the army on several campaigns which were successful and resulted in the expansion of the Empire. His homeland had gained many resources, weapons and allies. But it was slowly becoming weak again, at least in Darius' eyes. Because of the enormous territories the empire had taken in the last decades, even before Darius gained his current position as Swain's right hand, certain individuals were gaining power and wealth and using it for personal gain. This was the same thing Darius fought against when he was a young soldier. Everybody knew what he had done, and yet they did not fear his wrath. Their power was simply everywhere-the League included. And so it seemed Noxus would return to its old ways much sooner than Darius thought. Perhaps Katarina's disappearance had something to do with this. She and her allies were not supporters of Swain and perhaps this entire conspiracy was his doing. Perhaps an year ago he sent Darius there as well to remove him. Perhaps he wanted to remove Fiora as well. Maybe she was messing his plans in some way. Maybe he was in league with other powerful individuals. Or he had nothing to do with this. Darius had many questions and even though Jericho Swain was the ideal suspect, there were other cunning and intelligent individuals. Now the only options he had was stay with Fiora and wait for Talon to leave or go to him and maybe gain a new ally.

And so after hesitating for a few short seconds he began walking towards the assassin, who was still worried. Fiora's cries of disapproval did not stop him.

"Talon, is something the matter?"

"That is none of your business, bootlicker. Why don't you go back to Swain. He might need the Hand of Noxus to plot his next scheme"

Darius was not patient and grabbed Talon by the throat. As the enormous man lifted the assassin into the air, Talon tried to attack him. Darius, however, blocked his attack and hit him in the stomach.

"I don't like your tone boy. Now tell me what's wrong"

Talon got up and suggested they duel. If Darius won, Talon would tell him everything, if not, he would have to leave.

They went to a private training ground and requested that the regulations on their abilities be lifted for the duration of the match. No summoner would control them. Their request were accepted and the duel commenced.

Talon made the first move, disappearing an a ring of blades and attacked Darius. The General watched the ground and deduced the assassin's location. He jumped to the side and placed his axe in front of his face. He thus blocked Talon's blades and got out with only a scratch. Talon attempted to stab him below the shoulder but Darius spun his axe forcing the assassin to jump back in order to avoid being cut in half. The duel would continue in a rather monotonous manner- Talon would throw out daggers and Darius would block them. His armor suffered a few dents but the assassin's blades were not enough to pierce it. Finally The Hand of Noxus saw an opening and pulled Talon's leg with his axe he then jumped forward and delivered a few punches to the hooded man's body. He sliced Talon's back and hit him in the face, breaking the younger man's nose. Darius then stepped back and said:

"Will you tell me what happened to Katarina or will I have to beat the crap out of you, boy" Darius said in a serious voice.

"You are the second man to beat me. I am most impressed and I will honor the deal. But how did you learn to fight like that?" Talon asked

"The street taught me most things. And when I was a young man I met a warrior, who was 15 or so years older than me. We fought. His sword moved like lightning and I could barely parry his strikes. We met again and again. The last time I met him was before a battle against Demacia. He called our duel a draw and left. I used his skills in battle and even after our cowardly commander called for retreat I knew we would win. And once I killed that captain we did. All of Noxus knows what followed-how I killed the weak and rose to power. Truth is…" Darius paused and felt a tear forming in his eye. Talon was baffled and shocked." Truth is I would be dead a hundred times if that man hadn't taught me all he did. So I OWE him that much. I will not let his daughter die. And I ask again, WHAT HAPPENED TO KATARINA?" Darius' voice could be heard across the entire arena. Talon couldn't believe what he was hearing.

" You knew General Du Couteau? I… I will help you, but I don't know much. Kat just disappeared. Nobody seems to know anything." Talon said, almost crying. It was strange how this brilliant assassin, this cold-blooded and calculating killer was breaking down in front of Darius.

"She might have been taken to the same place we were an year ago" Fiora said as she was walking calmly towards Darius.

" What is this Demacian slut doing here? And how does she dare speak about such a matter" Talon exclaimed "This affair does not concern you"

Darius was feeling a strong itch in his right arm. His axe was in it and he wanted to chop the boy's head off. Fiora saw his anger and nodded for him to stop.

" I and Darius were sent to a strange place over an year ago. Our powers were at their fullest but still, we were surrounded by numerous beasts, beasts unlike any on Summoner's Rift. We made a… truce and together we got out. But we had each other and that saved us. A lone warrior, no one can live through that place" Fiora explained.

Talon nodded but couldn't help but laugh.

"A truce you say. If I didn't hate Swain and his dogs I would report Darius for treason. I am not an idiot. The past 12 months you two don't even "kill" each other on the toplate. I see Darius missing his abilities. You Lunge and barely miss him." By that time Darius, who was behind Talon, had both hands on his axe and was ready to kill the brat. "But I won't judge you" the assassin continued " This is not the first case and it won't be the last. Which makes me wonder..why haven't Noxus and Demacia united already?"

Darius sighted "Did my brother tell you this?"

" Surprisingly, he has kept quiet about it, even when I asked him. That's why I though it can't be true. I mean Draven would be the first one to spread the gossip but he seems loyal" Talon said.

" Don't worry, Darius only our family and your brother knows about your little love game with Fiora. And even though everybody says Katarina and Garen are in a secret romance, I do not believe it, which means that the Demacian nobility doesn't know either. Isn't that splendid Lady Laurent" Talon teased Fiora.

" Let them know and say whatever they want. I couldn't concern myself one bit with those Crownguards" Fiora replied.

" Enough talk. We need to find a way back that terrible place and save Katarina. I fear that this is either an inner struggle in Noxus and someone seeks to remove us or it could be an entirely different power desiring our destruction" Darius said. His voice was serious and somehow inspiring.

" What would you have us do?" Fiora asked.

" Talon, when I spoke the champions from our match all those months ago they all spun the same story. I believe they were lying but none of them were the type to brake easily when interrogated. Besides, both I and Fiora were safe and sound and I didn't bother" Darius explained. "However, in this case information is vital. So tell me who was in that match" the general continued.

"I saw the details. The others were Kled and Malphite top, Yasuo on mid against Katarina, Lee Sin and Master Yi in the jungle and the four people on bot lane were Jinx, Twitch, Blitzcrank and Sona. I can tell you who were her allies and who-her enemies." Talon said.

"No need, we just need to find someone who can help us and tell us what happened" Darius replied.

"Did someone show some worry or unease when you saw them. Perhaps they all know what happened but are either afraid or just don't care." Fiora asked.

" Kled is mad, Twitch and Jinx as well. Malphite is no friend of Noxus and the others are Ionians. None of them will be eager to help. In fact none of them will brake if we interrogate them." Darius sighted.

" Actually I heard something…. Yasuo spoke something about no honor. He was too far away from me to hear everything. But he seemed displeased and somewhat ashamed when he passed by me", Talon explained.

"And you didn't ask them about Katarina" Fiora wondered.

"I understood that she was gone after the match had passed. In fact,I heard Yasuo by chance. But still, as Darius said, he is Ionian and will not help us." The assassin responded

Darius was in deep thought. After a few seconds he spoke:

"We don't need to interrogate him, we only have to find him and persuade him to speak. We just have to find the right information about him. If we appeal to his honor he might agree to help us and we will avoid the risk of starting another war. Talon, you are skilled in stealth-go find Yasuo and avoid being seen. Fiora you come with me to the archives. We have to dig up information about Yasuo. The more important things should be displayed for all to see. And we will find more with a little hard work."

"Very well" said Talon and proceeded to exit the private arena where the three were conversing. Before he left he thanked Darius for his help.

Darius and Fiora also exited the arena and went to the archives where they hoped to find the information they needed. They would have to move swiftly if they were to save Katarina Du Couteau!


	3. Chapter 3

**I was on vacation but here it is, finally. Enjoy!**

Part 3: Finding one's lost honor

Talon was shocked by the fact that Darius, a known supporter of Swain was willing to turn on him. He didn't seem hungry for power and when he said that he will save Katarina he appeared to be telling the truth.

"Perhaps that woman has changed him. Or he found something else. Maybe when this is all over Swain will be dead and Darius will lead us. If he isn't a liar that is" Talon thought. He was wondering whether Darius was a noble man. And if he wasn't just one of Swain's dogs. He certainly was not like the Grand General. Perhaps he was tricked. Talon's focus quickly shifted to Yasuo, who was sitting nearby and drinking.

" Well that's pretty normal for him" the assassin though. Still I must try and speak to him.

"Yasuo" Talon exclaimed.

"Ha! Noxian brat. Don't think I can't slice you if I wanted. But this drink is very good so I will let you leave. I mean, even if killed you, those summoners would bring you back."

"I wish to speak to you. About Katarina. She was against you in her last match but never came to her quarters or out of the arena for that matter."

"Good. I won't have to face her again. She is favored by many summoners and becomes extremely powerful. She may have fallen from grace" Yasuo said as he was taking a sip of his drink

"Where is the honor you Ionians speak so much about?" Talon said,

as he was preparing his daggers.

" My honor left a long time ago, kid and I suggest you leave those blades or I will reconsider taking your life, even if they are going to bring you back"

Talon left his daggers and started begging. He was truly desperate.

" Crying won't help you" Yasuo exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Fiora and Darius had found Yasuo's "Lore" as it was called. It contained numerous facts about his past and his journey towards justice. They sat closer to each other and started discussing all sorts of things. They had found other things in the archives. Facts that would be useful in their search for the truth. Fiora rested her head on Darius' shoulder.

"Not here. Please" Darius said gently.

" Man you are one bold lady, Fiora. How did my asshole of a brother ever get to be with you?"

Fiora heard Draven and was about to kill him when Darius stopped her

" Good thing this crappy place is empty. But it might get crowded since I'm here. So you better stop with the funny business. Do you know how hard it is for Draven to keep such secrets. I think he deserves a reward" Draven said in his usual cocky way.

"Brother, thank you for not being an idiot and keeping our secret. So why are you here?

"I wanted to read my Lore. Can't get enough" The Glorious Executioner said.

"What was I expecting?" Darius sighed."Well we must be off. Have fun reading"

"Be careful you two. There is something really big going on."

"Thank you" Darius and Fiora said in unison and left.

They soon saw Yasuo walking towards them with Talon behind

"Some nerve asking ME for help after all the pain Noxus caused to Ionia and me" he said to Darius.

"You can reclaim your honor. Prove your innocence. All you need to do is help us. Do not let Katarina die because of some scheme. I am not close to her. I was to her father, but he vanished and with him my ties to his family. Now I want to correct myself. I have made mistakes in the past out of my desire to bring my nation to greatness but now I want to make amends." Darius was speaking passionately.

"Your mistakes and your desire to make amends does not concern me" Yasuo answered.

"I too have faced my kin. I too have been placed between a rock and a hard place. But I have seen that the world is not black and white and that things can change if we stand up to this injustice" Fiora spoke. Her words persuaded the Ionian warrior and he sighed.

"We need to find a summoner who will help us. Although many are corrupt, some still have morals. I was told by my summoner that either I or my opponent will be sent to a place filled with dangerous creatures, of which many were afraid of. He told me that he would try and get me out" Yasuo said.

"If this person is just, he might help us get to that place and save Katarina" Darius exclaimed.

And so the four champions, united by their common goals and concerns found out the name of the summoner, a woman, and where she resides. They announced that they would not be available so as not to be summoned to fight on the Rift or any of the numerous other maps which were introduced by the leaders of the Institute. Having done this they set out to meet with the woman. Perhaps she would help them, give them knowledge, help them save Katarina. Through The Sinister Blade, they would also find salvation. Salvation from their past sins, which were born of ambition, stubbornness, pride and ignorance.


End file.
